Three councillors quit over Labour WhatsApp scandal

Andrew Gwynne MP is pictured in a photo taken in 2022. He is walking along a pavement with a neutral expression, wearing a dark blue suit with a pink shirtImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

Health minister Andrew Gwynne was sacked over messages

  • Published

Three Labour councillors have resigned after being caught up in a scandal over leaked WhatsApp chats.

Health minister Andrew Gwynne was sacked after a newspaper revealed he sent a string of offensive and abusive WhatsApp messages.

The Mail on Sunday reported that the MP for Gorton and Denton sent messages which insulted constituents, fellow MPs and councillors.

The resignations of councillors Claire Reid, Jack Naylor and George Newton, who all represent Denton wards, came after Burnley MP Oliver Ryan apologised over comments he had made in the same chat group.

A spokesperson for Tameside Labour said: "Following reports over the weekend of messages shared in a historic WhatsApp group, councillors Reid, Naylor and Newton have decided to step away from their executive duties at Tameside Council whilst an investigation by the Labour Party is underway."

Burnley MP Ryan, 29, said he was a member of the WhatsApp group between 2019 and early 2022, when he was a councillor on Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.

He was elected as an MP in July last year.

"Some of the comments made in that group were completely unacceptable, and I fully condemn them," he added.

An independent councillor on Tameside Borough Council, Kaleel Khan, said he had made a "hate crime report" to the police on Sunday after constituents contacted him with concerns about some of the messages.

He told the BBC: "What worries me is when you have an elected official mocking women, or mocking black people, Jewish people, and constituents too."

Khan said he had also written to ask the council to carry out an investigation into the actions of councillors in the WhatsApp group.

One of the comments reported to have been shared by Mr Gwynne insulted a pensioner who had written to Stockport Council about bin collections.

The Mail on Sunday reported that the elderly woman's letter had been shared to the WhatsApp group 'Trigger Me Timbers' by Stockport councillor David Sedgwick.

A spokesperson for Stockport Council said Mr Sedgwick had referred himself to the authority's monitoring officer, and the matter would be reviewed.

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